Reply to: Blacklisted/Blackballed/Defamation What to do next?

[BR14]

You got on the wrong side of a senior member of a certain international fraternal organisation. I must say no more.

'the eye in the pyramid' - oooeeeer

[northernladyuk]

I guess they are the winners then "the competition" whoever they are. I cannot change the last six years but at least I was doing something productive and challenging for most of this time. That is running a real business. Thanks for the input but I am not looking for career advice I was looking for advice about how to find out the facts about what "really" happened in 2012 and the reasons why.

You got on the wrong side of a senior member of a certain international fraternal organisation. I must say no more.

[BR14]

OP. - being paranoid doesn't preclude them all being out to get you.
sounds like you dug yourself a hole and want to blame someone else for it

[WTFH]

I was looking for advice about how to find out the facts about what "really" happened in 2012 and the reasons why.

OK, may advice about how to find out the facts about what really happened - read your own posts on here!
You say you turned down two jobs, one because it wasn’t paying you enough and another because the interviewer was foreign and younger than you.
That’s why you didn’t get those two jobs.

Without any more facts from you, it’s hard to help give you advice on how to find out other facts that might be pertinent - the issues about damage to your house/car are most likely related to personal matters, nothing to do with work. An ex, an ex’s partner, a neighbour, etc.
No agent, client or contractor is going to waste their time doing that.

[NotAllThere]

Have a read of “Bored to fears”

Abstract:
The present study examines the relationships between paranoia, conspiracist ideation, and boredom proneness.....

The text book for most folk here, isn't it?

[boredfromsurrey]

Have a read of “Bored to fears”

Abstract:
The present study examines the relationships between paranoia, conspiracist ideation, and boredom proneness.....

Yes I'm sure I will get round to it one day.

[MrButton]

Have a read of “Bored to fears”

Abstract:
The present study examines the relationships between paranoia, conspiracist ideation, and boredom proneness.....

[boredfromsurrey]

Technically it’s a 6 year gap since you have been doing any work in the area that you are trying to work in.



So, the two interviews you had, one you decided you were too good for and the other you didn’t like the interviewer because they were foreign and younger than you?



You might decree that anyone who sees a 6 year gap is “small minded”, but that means pretty much every agent and client is small minded.
6 years is a very long time in IT. Windows XP went EoL 4 years ago! If a client has 10 CVs in front of them and 9 have been working for the last 6 years, but one hasn’t, it doesn’t matter if your last client was one of the biggest in the world, or you were on the CERN project etc, you’ve still got 6 years of not doing the job, when your competitions have 6 years of contracts and references that are modern and relevant.

I guess they are the winners then "the competition" whoever they are. I cannot change the last six years but at least I was doing something productive and challenging for most of this time. That is running a real business. Thanks for the input but I am not looking for career advice I was looking for advice about how to find out the facts about what "really" happened in 2012 and the reasons why.

[WTFH]

Technically it is a two year gap because the first year I was unaware of the issue but since then I set up and ran a business (not contracting/consulting) for three years. I have been looking for any kind of work including permanent for all of the six years.

Technically it’s a 6 year gap since you have been doing any work in the area that you are trying to work in.

So far two interviews one of which they wanted to retrain me at a lower level so they did not offer and the other a rude Romanian interviewer about 15 years younger than me who does not even live in the UK. I had to pass on that

So, the two interviews you had, one you decided you were too good for and the other you didn’t like the interviewer because they were foreign and younger than you?

I'm not worried about the gap its small minded thinking.

You might decree that anyone who sees a 6 year gap is “small minded”, but that means pretty much every agent and client is small minded.
6 years is a very long time in IT. Windows XP went EoL 4 years ago! If a client has 10 CVs in front of them and 9 have been working for the last 6 years, but one hasn’t, it doesn’t matter if your last client was one of the biggest in the world, or you were on the CERN project etc, you’ve still got 6 years of not doing the job, when your competitions have 6 years of contracts and references that are modern and relevant.

[boredfromsurrey]

You can easily test the blacklist theory by changing your name on your CV.

I think that even if there was a blacklist involved, that 6 year gap alone will stop you.

Why would anyone want to hire someone on contract with a 6 year gap?

That's just nuts. Get a permie job and sort your career out.

Thanks. I might look into changing my name. Technically it is a two year gap because the first year I was unaware of the issue but since then I set up and ran a business (not contracting/consulting) for three years. I have been looking for any kind of work including permanent for all of the six years. So far two interviews one of which they wanted to retrain me at a lower level so they did not offer and the other a rude Romanian interviewer about 15 years younger than me who does not even live in the UK. I had to pass on that but I don't think they were going to offer anyway. The reason I got into contracting was because I could not find permanent work in my 20's eventually I changed my career and started to work on systems implementation projects still could not find permanent work and enjoyed working on contract so set up as an Independent consultant. All seemed to work out OK until 2012. Thanks for the advice I'm not worried about the gap its small minded thinking.

[Smackdown]

You can easily test the blacklist theory by changing your name on your CV.

I think that even if there was a blacklist involved, that 6 year gap alone will stop you.

Why would anyone want to hire someone on contract with a 6 year gap?

That's just nuts. Get a permie job and sort your career out.

[fullyautomatix]

I posted the thread and agree it has run its course. The responses have been eye opening and interesting that the focus is on "moving" on which I initially tried to do for four years, unfortunately that did not work. To be honest and realistic I probably will never get to the bottom of this or get justice. I just hope this does not happen to other peoples careers, if it does then come speak to me at least I might believe you or have some empathy. Thanks

Your best option is a permie gig. I just don't think you are relevant to the contracting market. Also the tech market is rapidly changing yearly, maybe you could do a course pr a degree and start fresh? Agencies never blacklist. Heck I have let down agencies at last minute and they message me back months later asking if I am available.

[fullyautomatix]

A wind up thread from a regular?

Just someone bored, I think.

[Cirrus]

it might sound overly dramatic.

It's an in-built fault of home sapiens sapiens to take random events and try and assign cause or agency (ie somebody must be behind this). It brought us religion, and now it's spooking you.

All I can see is a series of incidents in the past, and now a number of job selling dead ends. I simply can't see any story linking them. These things happen to loads of people. Just keep plodding along and suddenly good things will start happening (again for no particular reason).

Don't look for patterns where none exist.

[Scruff]

My Last Word - I think that you need to seek help outside this forum? We are all Gladiators and Radiator Bleeders.